Social Question

Some progress is better than no progress. What's your milestone? (part 5)

Welcome to the fifth installment of the Progress thread. More than a year old now, this thread has garnered a total of 1690 responses spread over four installments and is still going strong. From time to time we restart because a long thread is slow to load.

On Sunday of each week (if not oftener), some of us gather to announce our current goals, report progress toward our milestones, cheer each other on, and commiserate over setbacks. Newcomers are welcome.

It’s not a case of formality so much as that the Progress thread is kind of a community within a community, and it has evolved a flavor of its own. May as well get a sense of that if you’re new and also see what’s going on with the regulars.

If you were speaking of my writing style, it’s not meant to be formal. That’s just the way I write and talk. White gloves (figuratively speaking) and blue jeans. Candles on the dinnertable for macaroni and cheese.

Overall, I am doing pretty damn good.
Goals for the week: find a better job.
Oh, I’d also love to want to work out. I have been lifting weights, but I want to want to run.
Accomplishments: I have gone almost a week without masturbating

I have been pretty stagnant in my personal development since I became disabled in April 2004. It is time for me to define some goals and start working toward them.

I am well aware of my limitations but at nearly 56, I need to find ways to make my life more interesting to me and more valuable to others. While I can’t pick up where I left off in my career, I feel there is no excuse to spend the rest of my life not making progress in any way.

My time line may not be easy to define in terms of weekly goals because everything seems to move in slow motion or at least that is how it has seemed for years.

Any goals I come up with will be more related to hobbies or personal relationships than to my former career.

Welcome, @Violet. You might be surprised how much a little encouragement can help. What sort of job are you looking for?

Welcome, @Dr_Lawrence. “Weekly” is defined very loosely around here. We set a marker weekly without fail, haven’t missed once, and somebody always stops by. Some folks drop in and out, some are regular, some used to come around and have since moved on. We have shared specific short-term goals, vague long-range ones, and everything in between. I’d suggest picking just one simple achievable thing you’d like to do (get to the Y for one swim? read one online article? master one tough guitar chord?) and tell us what it is.

@ChaosCross, there have been a lot of questions about books and publishing here over time. One came up just this evening. Have you tried searching for the topic?

Today is my last day as a Cub Scout leader and this will free up a good slug of time for me that more than likely will get devoted towards my sons Boy Scout Activity. Seriously though I am both sad and relieved for it to be finally over. Cub Scouts is a lot of work!!

My goal for the next couple of months is to finish rebuilding a home for my wife and me. Progress, while slow, has been steady and I think we may be done by the end of April.

Finally getting my PhD is a longer term goal, and I have yet to finally decide whether it’s worth the effort at my age ( 66 ), and given my physical problems ( cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure ). I’m currently postponing a final decision on this.

Long term, my primary goal is to stay with my beloved wife as long as I can. I work on THIS one every day of my life. : )

wow what an amazing thread.. I can’t believe I’ve totally missed these

well…
1. Read all previous Progress Threads
2. Lose another pound and half this week (by Thursday)
3. Write my first essay by Thursday (for my) new course in the Philosophy of the Mind
4. Put two more posts on my blog by Sunday
5. Release some aggression that I’ve been holding on to for years, through the form of my audio diary

I got a bit of a ring out of my tibetan singing bowl… lots more practice required.

Still working on getting our homeschooling rhythm together and the house is still in a bit of chaos. My hope is that by mid-week the house will be in order again. Hoping Thursday will be a return to a predictable school day.

I’ve jumped from hermit to cook/ washerman/ mechanic/ medic on my farm. From childless widow to father figure to 8 teenaged girls(thank goodness for that Paxil “side effect”) They’re all from Quebec so French is the official language here.

The setup work for the maple harvest is going well, only one casualty so far; yesterday one of the young ladies feet went numb (boots too thin), treated with a soak in warm water and later massage with warm oil to get the circulation going again. She’s helping in the kitchen today. “Qu est que c’est NSFW?”: I’m trying to answer tactfully to a 16 year old girl from rural Quebec.

Another item for my goal list. I should get EMT certified. The ambulance is an hour away and I haven’t used my combat medic training in 25 years and haven’t had CPR update in 12 years.

I’ll be switching from the kitchen to the sugar shack (reverse osmosis unit and wood-fired evaporator) once the sap run starts.

@liminal—Thanks! It’s been a bit of a roller coaster with that stuff lately,so that was good news…I just hope Dr.Frankenstein is not the one conducting the experiments!lol!
I hope your week goes well for you! :))—

Hi guys. Nice to see you all. I’m kind of in a rut at the moment; maybe this thread will be good for me.

I’ve lost my writing voice. I feel like my academic abilities as a whole became paralyzed over the winter semester. I barely read anything for class, and I didn’t even write the little 1-page summaries we were supposed to turn in – let alone the actual term papers. And I had to write at least one or say goodbye to three credits forever (which equals about $5000 and a permanent “N” on my transcript). I got my books and sat at my computer and waited for the brilliant part of my brain to come out and write – and I felt like there was a wad of cotton stuck in my throat. All I had to do was write a goddamn 15-page essay about anything having to do with Freud’s thought, and it could even just be expository! I’ve taken three classes on the guy, two of them at the graduate level, read the greater part of his work, and I just couldn’t do it. I had no ideas, no inspiration, and worst of all, barely even any interest. Lame.

So now I have five incompletes to catch up with by the end of the summer – five essays to write. They don’t have to be amazing, even, they just have to get done. I need my voice back. So that’s what I’ll be keeping you updated on.

That reminds me, ever since I lost the original story I was writing (35 pages of writing, down the drain), I’ve been meaning to start another story, but I just haven’t done it. So that’s another goal I have, get started on a new story.

@wildpotato One technique for overcoming writer’s block that you may already be aware of is free-writing. You just set yourself an amount of time to keep writing and jot down anything you can without worrying about sentence structure, organization, etc. If you run dry, you just write “I don’t know what to write anymore.” This exercise will sometimes get the juices flowing. Another technique for branstorming ideas is to do clusters, with the main topic, i.e., Freud’s theory of X, as the center and sub-concepts circled around it. These are pretty simplistic solutions that may not help; I understand the frustartion of lack of motivation to write.

@lynneblundell Welcome! This is a great thread for you. I was just across the river from you this week (see below.)

@other newbies Welcome too!

I just got back from a short trip to England for a family reunion. Met up with my sons from San Francisco and Paris and got to be there when Jake met his great-grandmother! Although it doesn’t come under the formal rubric of goals, I was very pleased with how my relationship with my daughter-in-law is developing and felt I made great strides as a “Bubby.”

Good luck with your goals, everyone! Even in the last incarnation (when I joined the thread) I felt as though I couldn’t adequately reply to everyone… now there’s really no hope! Do know that I read all the posts and am cheering you all on. If I have a suggestion or something relevant for someone in particular, I will of course share it. Welcome newbies, and lurve to all!

My goal is to not panic about grad school so I can be productive! I’m still in no-man’s-land, waiting for an email from the guy I applied to to work with telling me whether he’s moving to a new university, and if so, whether I have a shot at going there this fall without having applied there. Meanwhile my university’s email system has been down, on and off, for about a week. I sent Mr.-hopefully-new-adviser an email from my gmail account letting him know to send an email there and not to my school account, but I haven’t gotten anything back so I’m afraid it got shoved to spam and I’ve missed something important. I don’t want to email him again for fear of annoying him, since really I’m at his mercy as far as going to grad school this fall. This is probably silly, but I am still very distracted and having a tough time getting anything done in the meantime. Ah, well. It’ll get better with time. :)

-figure out how to really find a decent job (followers of the last thread know I had an interview last week with the NYC Department of Education for a job, and I won’t hear until the end of next week on whether I made the second round of interviews) I’m just not very experienced with networking, especially with contacting people I haven’t spoken to in years. It makes me feel like I’m hitting them up ONLY because I need something, which doesn’t feel good.

-choose a sketch of mine to film and find people who want to help me (Again, though, with the problem of asking people for help ::sigh::)

-do some more work on learning Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 (that’s a video editing program), and

-learn at least part of the bass line to one song. I don’t know if it should be ”Words” by The Monkees or ”The Groove Line” by Heatwave. I really listened to both last week and it struck me that neither are especially complicated.

I read the past threads and would love to join in. I am disabled from arthritis nad compression fractures. I was told to rest last winter and I did but I didn’t rest my my mouth so I ballooned! My goal this year 2010 is to work on my health. Bed is boring. So I stopped smoking Jan 8, (but I had a couple with my daughter last night- the wine), I bought an exercycle and elliptical machine after xmas, eating more salads every day. The doctors are working with me to find pain medication that works but doesn’t make me a zombie. I think we’re about there and so I feel like trying to walk further,and lose some belly. It’s like being 8 months pregnant! for a year now!

@liminal, homeschooling takes such a commitment. I hope you will continue to write about what you’re doing.

@mangeons, I’m rooting for you and your schoolwork. Trying to do your whole room all at once is probably just too much. What if you pick a space that’s, like, a yard square, or even just a foot, and clear that out? Chaos is creeping back into my room, too, so I’ll soon be joining you again in that effort.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land, I am so glad you went ahead! This is a new phase of life for you. After your season of withdrawal, you are engaged again. Let us follow your progress.

Welcome, @wildpotato. I think a lot of us know what it feels like to hit a dry spell. Is that Freud essay still on your to-do list? I’ll bet some of us could propose a question or a prompt that would get you going.

@fireinthepriory, you don’t have to reply to everyone. I like to do it now and then, but writing a few directed replies when you have something specific to say is really fine. General greetings and updates are great too. We are much bigger now than we were when we all used to acknowledge what everybody said. That’s great! More ways to divide your attention, yes, but also more attention coming in. I’m sorry you’re still in limbo on your grad school plans. Is there anything you can do in the meantime?

@dpworkin, good job on the catch-up. How are the legs? Any improvement?

@aprilsimnel, fingers crossed for you on the job, but I hope you keep looking so your hopes aren’t all pinned on one. Bass line on the guitar?

Welcome, @faye. I appreciate the discipline it takes to reverse course. Good luck and let us know how you’re doing. Small steps are still steps.

@Dr_Lawrence, we won’t hound you. We’ll support you. Sounds like right now your goal is to set a goal. That’s a great place to start because everything is possible.

I am working on a term paper for my philosophy class, and I am in danger of researching it to death instead of getting on with the writing. So I would like to get a draft done by the end of this week.

I’m also meeting with a prospective client this week about editing her novel. I’d like to do the job as long as she doesn’t expect it to be done too quickly—I don’t want to return to a heavy work schedule and give up the joys of retirement.

The almond blossoms are gone by and the lilacs are in bud. I love the early flowers. They remind me sweetly that I can start afresh on whatever I’ve previously left to wither, or I can just chop off the dead blossoms and move on.

My main goal is to finish a screenplay of mine before March 22nd (which happens to be my birthday) so I have exactly a month. ::sighs::
That’s at least three pages of rewrites a day. A tad discouraging, but possible. I want it’s completion to be a birthday present to me. :)

I have 148 words of my essay after working for two hours (1500 total) and have realised that I do not know enough about this subject and have to revisit relevant course material and re-read set excerpts until the neurons start firing ideas…

I have read the first Progress Thread and not sure if I can manage the others this week..with aforementioned essay…

Am going to have a hard time getting that pound and half off as I was total naughtiness yesterday on the diet (and the two days before that!!) :-/ But I am determined to do my best

I have an idea for my blog….just need to set to it later!

and I have plans for anger therapy later today!!

@Vunessuh you can do it… little steps… what little bit can you do today

@Jeruba – Bass line on the bass guitar, yes. I have a lefty bass guitar.

I am indeed still looking for other work, but I realize that I don’t know how to look for a job that is higher up than an admin, even though such work bored me to tears and I hated every second of it. I didn’t think I deserved to work in any higher position. I never asserted my opinion or suggestions at meetings, afraid that I would be made to look foolish.
______________________________
Let me put this here while I’m here. I hope it helps someone to, as Cher once so eloquently put it in Moonstruck, “SNAP OUT OF IT!”

My problems in looking for work this past year? This is what happens when you allow yourself to believe that you are “not as good as” others; you shy away from showing your skills or challenging yourself, you don’t connect with people and then when you’re stuck, you don’t know who to turn to or where to go. I wouldn’t even know the first person to contact now to let them know that I want to be in the TV and film business again. It’s been a while since I worked in that area, and I didn’t maintain contacts with my co-workers or bosses or join related organizations because, hey, I was just a a PA. Just a secretary. Only super-important director and producer-type people are involved in that stuff. What would I have to say? What would I have to contribute? Nothing. Best to keep my mouth shut and go file something. And now look where I am. No contacts at all, and too embarrassed to look for the people I used to work with. I doubt they’d remember me, I was such a mouse.

Have faith in yourself at all times. Don’t be afraid to talk to people. Stop worrying about whether someone ‘higher up’ is judging you. It doesn’t matter; such people honestly are no better or worse than you. Assert yourself and your ideas in the world. Be kind to yourself at all times. Believe in yourself at all times. If you live with a firm belief in yourself and your abilities and your likability, then no matter where you find yourself, you know you’ll be OK.

My goal for this week is to address a lump in my right nipple that is worrying me – I am trying to not so accidentally run into a breast health physician assistant friend of mine today at the hospital so she can feel me up and send me for a sonogram. Second goal is to get a colonoscopy done.

@aprilsimnel I’ve just printed that off to stick above my kettle as I do this all too often… in fact I’ve been guilty of this constantly for the past few years!! thank you for sharing that… I hope you continue with conviction and head held high xx

@Violet That’s a great Goal. It starts with two, and continues till you have a core of steel.

Welcome to all the new posters. It’s one of the best parts of restarting the thread, having new faces and new challenges. I’d love to greet you all in person, but we’re in the midst of parent-teacher conferences right now and I can’t get too involved.

As I said last week, my goal is to start working on this new course. Over the weekend I fleshed out the things I want to include over the semester, and this week, I’d like to get a vague timeline done with which to develop a syllabus. Anyone who’s taken or taught an acting class at some point and has some pointers, PM me. I’m always looking for good ideas.

Update: So I did see the PA, she did an exam, said it could be a sebaceous cyst (most likely) or a breast cancer lump and since she is unable to tell the difference, she’s ordering me an emergency sonogram for sometime in the next couple of days. Strangely, I am not too worried about it.

Really struggling with this essay to the point where I’ve just been in tears about it… I’ve never been like this before, I can’t believe how awful I feel. It’s supposed to be really simple too and I just can’t do it. I’m wondering what the hell I’m doing taking this course right now. My tutor is rubbish and hasn’t helped at all and I have to finish this by Thursday and have so little time. I might just go to bed and cry some more. :-’( so far…not very successful at all.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land and @zephyr826 Thank you : )
Sometimes I can’t even do 1 push up, and I just do “girl” push ups, or I just hold myself up in a traditional push up. For the first time in years, I did 1 push up last night. I have been lifting weights, so I think that really helped.

The beginning is done and I have a basic concluding paragraph too. The question is basically requiring me to explain Gilbert Ryle’s criticism of Descartes two-substance-dualism.

Ryle totally annihilates Descartes by saying he makes a category mistake (which we have to define and describe and which I have done). Descartes theory is based on a fallacy..so everything that proceeds from that is wrongly entailed…according to Ryle. Part of the problem I’m having is that Ryle’s theory is totally outdated (logical behaviourism) and has it’s flaws as well and I don’t agree with half of the criticisms that he aims at Descartes, but I’m not really allowed to start critically evaluating Ryle (which is stupid)

I seem to have done a lot of what they ask in 500 words and I feel reluctant to start explaining a view in more depth that I thoroughly disagree with…I’m just exhausted thinking about it…and all the doubt in the world has crept in now…about my ability to do this and I want to hurl the books across the room. And it’s 21:40 here now so I may as well go and get some rest rather than kicking myself for another hour and wasting even more time. Thank you though xxx Sorry I’ve taken up so much space. xx

Ah, but you don’t have to agree, you just have to comprehend—right? It sounds like your own point of view is hanging you up. If you could write a paper about what the Buddhists believe or the Greek Othodox believe or the Rastafarians believe without having to share the belief yourself, this sounds like the same thing: explain this thinker’s position as if from his point of view.

Not to get too far off topic, @lynneblundell, but we do sometimes go into specifics a bit, and it seems to me that if you could free yourself of your own perspective here, your work would be done.

You seem to have run into a patch of sand on the ice that’s halting you in much the same way as @wildpotato. I’ve been there and a lot of us have. You can push past it. This is your field, and you’ve got what it takes—so says the award you received. But sometimes the absolute best thing is a night’s sleep. I have come to a state of helpless frustration with an intractable problem in so many editing jobs, wondering what the hell to do next, and just shut the damn thing, only to find the next day that the solution was plain and simple. You can’t think well in that state, so it’s best to stop for a while.

@lynneblundell – If you understand what Ryle is arguing, then you’ve done your bit. Have a good night’s sleep and you’ll be able to knock it out in the morning, I’m sure. 500 words, fortunately, isn’t a lot.

Okay, I chopped up a huge salad, tried my exercycle but didn’t last too long, bathed and pampered myself a bit and didn’t need any extra pills. @Simone_De_Beauvoir I’ve had breast scares-best wishes, @lynneblundell You sound to be working so hard!

@Jeruba thank you – feel a little more positive this morning. I think I’d probably tried to do too much yesterday without clarity. I hear what you are saying and totally agree with you. If I can drop my subjectivity about the issue and concentrate on the facts maybe I’ll actually begin to see the explanation more clearly.

@aprilsimnel I think that perhaps I need to re-read some of the course material again to make sure I have really understood it… I have a suspicion I am missing something!

@dpworkin I had to tutor Meghan by e-mail with her undergrad statistics course for her psychology major (I was deployed halfway around the world). Sometimes finding a tutor who can explain things from a different angle than the textbook or the instructor can make all the difference. I just kept looking for different ways of explaining until the “lightbulb” went on; it’s a great feeling when that happens in a student.

@lynneblundell You don’t have to agree with Lyle, just demonstrate that you understand what he is saying and contrast with Descartes. As @Jeruba says, you don’t have to agree, just understand and contrast, like comparative religions.

Well it looks like I will probably not be going to grad school this fall. Ah, well. I only applied to one school, so I knew this was a possibility and I’m not too upset. It’s more frustrating than anything, because it didn’t come down to my actual credentials. My potential adviser is almost certainly moving to a new university but deferring a year. While I could still attend the school he’s at now for a year and then move with the lab, he thinks it’s unlikely that they’ll take me now that they know he (and therefore, I) would be leaving in a year. I don’t blame them. Better to make room for people who’ll stay through completion; I’d hate to be turned down in favor of someone else and then find out they left a year later. Wouldn’t you? I’ll apply at this new school (and probably several others for backup!!) for next year.

Now that that’s almost certainly cleared up, I’ll be able to focus more on finishing my Master’s degree by September! Two experiments down, one to go. Bring it on. My immediate goal is to read through my proposal, top to bottom, and send it to the new post-doc I’m working with by Friday. I wrote it months ago, here’s to hoping I wrote something coherent! :)

@fireinthepriory I’m sorry you have to delay a year, but it seems almost certain the adviser you want to work with will be bucking for you in the new place.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir So frustrating that they couldn’t determine anything! Will you be able to get the biopsy soon?

As some of you know, I am at a plateau in my life. Kids are long gone and unfortunately far away, my job has been satisfying but lately has not been. My main goal is finding more richness and passion (and losing the perennial 5–15 pounds.) I ended up in more discussions with colleagues at work today and also spending some time learning and evaluating the Kindles which we have just purchased for use in the lbirary. I felt more stimulated than of late.

@janbb have you ever read Simple Abundance and Something More by Sarah Ban Breathnach… They are beautiful books to read and they help one find passion and richness through various ‘exercises’ (that word sooo doesn’t do them justice)... They’re lovely anyway…might be just up your street?.

My goal is to Fluther less and exercise more. I just hiked in the snowy woods for an hour with my dogs and I feel great. I hope to continue doing this daily throughout the week. I need to get off the computer now, but I will return later with words of encouragement for everyone else.

@janbb – I highly suggest you look for a few titles by Barbara Sher. She’s awesome. There’s a book she’s written called “I Could Do Anything… If I Only Knew What It Was” that’s great for helping people figure that sort of stuff out.

@jonsblond Welcome. I too need to exercise more, but alas, we haven’t had any significant snow all year. Way to get started!@janbb I know how hard it is when suddenly you feel like you’re somehow on pause. Here’s hoping that the new kindles (aren’t they adorable) signal the start of new exciting things.@Simone_De_Beauvoir I hope that the biopsy comes quickly. Here’s hoping for good results!@fireinthepriory Way to look on the bright side. Good luck with your editing!

My colleague (our Spanish teacher) fell skiing on Sunday and broke her leg in four places. She will be off it for 12 weeks, and out of school for at least a few of those. I have suddenly been thrown into the role of department head, right as next year’s scheduling, two language conferences, and an annual overnight field trip come around. My current goal is to make it through the week without killing her sub, and to call the hotels and the airlines for her. I feel so petty for whining about this. She is being such a trouper, but I am so not meant to be in charge.

@jonsblond That sounds wonderful. I live in the middle of a city, so going for a long walk inevitably ends up with being at least mildly harassed. Bike rides are better (although I was once followed by a teenage bike gang… Haha I really have to move) so I’m waiting with bated breath for the snow to melt! I always feel better after some physical activity.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Also hoping for good results for you here. Glad you have friends in the biz, it’ll make it that much easier to get to the next step and figure it out.

Oh!! I’ve finished my essay… am just going to have one final read through tomorrow morning in peace and over coffee made with much love and then send it off through the ether!! Still not sure if I’ve got it all right…(and I’ve had zero help from my tutor who I am incidentally going to lodge a concern about tomorrow) but it’s done anyway and I don’t think it’s too bad at all!! Yay!! xx

The lambing is over, our flock is now 48, 23 lambs. I’m handing over the cooking to Genevive and heading into the woods tomorrow, we start tapping trees. I want to be out there to prevent injuries (drills and wrenches can slip) or be right there with the first aid kit if they do. By popular acclaim, I’m to be cook on weekends; I’m still amazed that they love my cooking.

I’ve finally sent an email to a specialist solicitor regarding making a will… (in order to make sure Theo gets put into the right care in the event of my death) something I’ve been putting off for quite some time apart from anything, because I burst into tears every time I think about it but I’ve made a step in the right direction! BIG achievement on that one!

@lynneblundell Just think of it as another important thing you’ve got to do to insure Theo’s well-being. It’s not anything that will be needed for a long time if at all, and once it’s done, you don’t need to dwell on it. If you can keep your imagination out of it as much as possible, it’s not that hard to go through and you will feel good that Theo has been provided for by you.

@lynneblundell It’s not something we like to think about, but so necessary. I don’t know how it’s handled in the UK, but you should also look into a “living will” or “advance directive for health care”. This instructs the medical providers to “pull the plug” if you are unconcious and there is no reasonable chance of recovery. In the US if you don’t have one of these, you can be kept alive on machines in a “vegetative state” while the hospital drains your assets. Being 20 years older than Meg and a professional soldier, I had “put my affairs in order” many years ago, assuming that Meg would survive me by many years. Fate had other plans, alas.

We should have all of our trees tapped in another 3–4 days. Many hands make light work. We’re tapping 520 maples; 1040 taps and feeder lines. If we finish early, we’ll help our neighbor and her sons with their taps. This may get interesting; 2 teenaged boys and 8 girls of the same age working together. The boys know that I’m watching out for these demoiselles.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land makes a very good point and one that I meant to mention, We have both designated “health care proxies” and advanced care directives as part of our wills. As I said above, it is reassuring to get it done.

I got my class selection sheet for next year today, and after careful consideration (and discussion with @augustlan) I decided to take a shot at AP World History. The class is a lot more hands on, and I feel I would enjoy it more and be more successful in it. The only thing I’m worried about is that I won’t be able to keep up with the workload. But like I said, I’m taking a shot at it.

I also selected Creative Writing as one of my electives, and I am hoping that the class will get me back on the track of writing.

OH my… all this will business is really making me sad… but I’ve got a few emails back… it’s gonna cost me £80 at the cheapest at the moment… so I need to write it myself first and get things in order… it’s really really crap and…. I’ve really had the crapiest evening in a long long time :-(

@janbbI just figured to do it all and get it over with…in the past couple of years, I’ve been getting my shit together and going to all the doctors is part of that…not sure that I’ll have to do the breast biopsy…seeing the surgeon Monday

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I would think that getting your shit together is counter-productive in terms of a colonoscopy; it’s the dispersal that bothers me!
So it doesn’t sounds like there are particular worries at that end, just routine maintenance. Kudos to you and let us know what the surgeon says.

@mangeons Good luck with the history course. A fascinating subject. Starting this summer, I’ll be making my second attempt at a doctorate in that noble field.

The heavy snow on the tree branches is presenting a hazard. I’m keeping the girls out of the woods this morning. Genevive and I are going to do a recon of the #2 line section. Snowshoes, barrier tape and a shotgun. Any branches that are dangerously loaded with ice, I’ll try to knock off the ice with birdshot (standard practice here). If I can’t dislodge it, we’ll use the colored tape to mark off a safety zone. Hopefully this afternoon (weather permitting) we’ll place the last taps in section #2 and start the vacuum pump. Tomorrow will be a day off (first full day off in 2 weeks for the crew). We had a minor accident yesterday, one of the ladies cut her finger on a drill bit; there was ice on the tree and she didn’t realize that a wood bit is not an ice auger. Cleaned it up and bandaged, followed by a gentle lecture to all the crew about handling tools safely. These ladies really want to impress us with good work, but I don’t want them taking risks.

I had a wonderful day! My boyfriend woke me up with coffee, went for a scenic drive, he took me to a fancy seafood restaurant, went home, watched a movie, and had some great adult time!!
I have a surgery consultation on Monday, and possibly the actual surgery (it’s minor, just to remove a cyst). I don’t know what to expect.

Well my aims were:
1. Read all previous Progress Threads
– I only read one

2. Lose another pound and half this week (by Thursday)
– I stayed the same, despite working really really hard at it…maybe it will show up this week.

3. Write my first essay by Thursday (for my) new course in the Philosophy of the Mind
– I completed this one and thought I did a pretty good job too.

4. Put two more posts on my blog by Sunday
– Didn’t manage any blog posts at all :-(

5. Release some aggression that I’ve been holding on to for years, through the form of my audio diary
– I did try to do this but when I used my dictophone the anger really didn’t seem to be there… but I DID end up telling my sister some feelings I was having on Friday night and it’s ended up in a big argument, which I miserable about

Will post my new aims later when I’m feeling a little more positive perhaps.

@Violet Sounds like you had a great time, so happy for you! I had a sebaceous cyst taken off my arm a few years ago. It took about 20 minutes under a local anesthetic and two stitches.

Genevive and I went out yesterday and knocked loose some ice from branches. We also set the last 72 taps on the second line. We’re drawing about 100 gallons of sap daily now, not much, but the temperature profile is not optimum yet.

Gen and I had a long talk while we were in the woods. Things are much better between us that I had thought.

Today is an “off day”. I’ve got five loaves of bread in the oven and am making a gallon of two-alarm chili (the crew is from Quebec, don’t want to overpower them). Another gallon of beef stew, a wok load of stir-fried veggies and a black forest cake (mit Kirschwasser) will round out the feast.

@lynneblundell It feels good to get rid of that aggression, doesn’t it?

I am definitely better at making a Tibetan singing bowl gong than I am at making it sing.

While I sometimes find it easy to grasp a concept I sometimes stumble around in terms of knowing how to apply it. Which often makes homeschooling an exercise in my own learning not just the children’s. This week I am on the hunt for some creative and diverse history resources.

While we get outside and play every day we still have a bit of cabin fever going on. March is always a hard month for me to get through and the kids notice. My goal for this week is to plan out at least one prolonged outdoor adventure for every week in March.

Fell off the wagon with some drinks last night. A good firend is moving to Ontario. I have exersised each day on the bike but not very far trips! Cleaned house yesterday which hurts so I’m having a bed day. I did buy all the little jiffy pot for my seeds so tomorrow will be tomato day!

I am glad for the weekend – there are stressful things at work and the resolution is not yet in sight – I have to continue to interact with people that have made my life hell and I don’t know how long for.

Hi guys, what’s up? I’ve been mostly inactive on fluther for the past two months or so but I do lurk. I’ve been missing this discussion and have been intending to rejoin for the last few weeks but until now have felt too embarassed to show my face here again. Now I’ll go back and read through the last week’s responses so as to catch up a little bit.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land was there any major pain after the anesthetic wore off? I have a pretty high pain tolerance. The cyst is in my left wrist (I’m right handed). What were you able to not do after surgery (drive, exercise, etc)
Good luck with the sap@Dog thank you so much : ) When you said “lines”, are you referring to your painting? What exactly is a line?

Great work everyone, including you @lynneblundell. I know it was unpleasant, but sometimes these things need to be done!

I finished my first Fluther newsletter! It’s not really much more than an email, but I’m following the examples the guys have sent out in the past. I hope to expand on it in the coming months. It will be sent out Monday. If you all want to receive it, go to “my account”, and then “notifications”. Under “email”, check the “newsletter” box.

@aprilsimnel Neither would I – I asked him how it came about – he said ’ a variety of ways it can come about ’ I told him ‘care to venture one’...anyway he was too busy helping the 3 med students in the room find the difference in my nipples.

I guess my milestone for the past few weeks is getting a song recorded in using tracks. It’s the first time I’ve attempted tracked recording. Still a little rough around the edges, but I’m proud of it. Intensity Sleeps

On my continual goal of getting more fit and perhaps thinner, I took a Zumba class at the gym this morning. It’s such a relief when you get to the point in life where you realize that everyone probably isn’t looking at you. (Although I have to say, a penguin doing salsa dancing is probably quite a sight to see.)

I think I’m just going to try to be kind to myself this week…how I’m going to do that I’m not entirely sure right now…maybe I just need to tell myself like a hundred times a day that…I deserve happiness and can provide myself with happiness..perhaps… I need a good mantra…. mayeb that will be my aim for the week..get a mantra

@lynneblundell Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Maybe you should ask Fluther for a good mantra? ;)

I got my big Master’s outline and methodology written last week, and I think it was pretty good. It’ll certainly make writing the final thesis much easier. Now I’m working on a side project that involves photography, which was my second undergraduate major. It’s nice to use that second set of skills – I sacrificed a lot of freedom in terms of coursework in order to fit that second major in and a lot of times it feels like it was in vain. Plus it’s just good to switch up what I’m spending the majority of my time on! I hate spending too long on one thing. It’s why I got into academic biology – a project can only last so long, and most projects involve many different techniques, so you’re never stuck doing one thing for too long. I find doing new things to be refreshing. This new project is really energizing me and I’m burning through the work. All my photos are taken, now I’ll be cutting out fish in photoshop for a few days. My goal is to cut them all out and have a mockup of my final diagram by Friday.

We’re back in the woods doing the final tapping. Slight snow flurries, but no wind. The last several days of wind have got the battery banks full and we’re running the pumps care of Mother Nature. Tapping should be done tomorrow, then just looking for vacuum leaks now and again. I’m setting up the #3 pump skid this afternoon. We’re getting about 200 gallons a day now, still running the small evaporator; will probably shift over to “the monster” next week. About 30 gallons of Grade A Light Amber in the drum so far.

I kep the crew in when the wind was high, so no more injuries, thank goodness. Genevive and Karen are running the kitchen now. Little Jacqueline (who almost froze her feet) likes to follow me around like a puppy, so she’s my “tool passer” in the shop. I’m rebuilding the backup pump skid so a failure doesn’t cost us time. We have backup units for everything except the reverse osmosis unit (too expensive, but I have enough spares, including a membrane). When the sap run starts in earnest, we’ll be filling about 2 55 gallon drums a week, right now we’ve filled about half a drum in two weeks.

@lynneblundell It’s amazing what can be sorted out in relationships. Genevive and I are working well together, when just three weeks ago I thought all was hopeless. ((hugs))

@Simone_De_Beauvoir It probably won’t work out for this Friday cause I am working in the morning and going to a play in the city after seeing the baby. But it would be fun to do sometime! Thanks for the thought.

I have contracted 12 new works and today am painting Holiday Cards for Horse and Hound. I have my new paint (arrived yesterday) and a new sta-wet palette that will make life easier keeping the acrylic paint wet.
I hope to finish two or three paintings today.

Our taps are all in, 1118 of them (one tree I chose not to tap for safety reasons). The only woods-work left now is the occaissional patrol for vacuum leaks. Were pulling 250 gallons of sap per day; still running the small evaporator. Our tasks now are mild, checking the lines, monitoring the pumps, backwashing the RO unit and running the evaporator. Genevive and Karen are now reasonably competant at running the small evaporator. I’m rotating each of the ladies through a stint at each task in the operation, so they will all have a resume at the end of the season indicating that they are fully competant in all aspects of the maple operation. Everyone is also taking turns in the sheepfold; feeding, mucking out and keeping the heater running.

I’ve raided the root cellar and am going to make a treat for supper tonight, fried apple pie with plenty of cinnamon and maple sugar. A well-deserved reward for work well-done. These ladies have done a magnificent job.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land I’m probably the only Canadian that doesn’t like maple sugar! But, wow, lots of work with that many trees! @dpworkin so good to have exams behind you, huh? I have got myself up, made up, and out of the house for 3 days running. Partly it’s so I can write it down here! Thanks all.

We topped off our first 55 gallon drum this morning. Liquid gold. If we can fill another dozen this season, we’ll do fine. The run is still slow, temperature profile still isn’t right. What is needed is nighttime lows around 10–15 F and day temps in the 40s. This morning I’m going over to the neighbors and pick up a 500 gallon tankload of sap. I’ll run the big evaporator to process it. I’m looking into buying a second reverse osmosis unit as a backup and to handle peak load, a new one is too expensive for this kind of use, maybe next year we’ll have another.

Town Meeting is next Tuesday. I hope I don’t get drafted for some office. The Emergency Director post may be open, but I’m hoping the incumbent will stay on one more term before I get stuck with it.

This morning I am headed to an all day seminar on how to interview and present myself to business. I am doing this because when I meet with manufacturers I become uncomfortable and tend to speak too much. (I also tend to interject humor which often times falls flat, making the interview exponentially more awkward.)

Hopefully this day invested will help me get more contracts and give me more confidence when working directly with others.

Wow, what a lively week it’s been around here! I am so far behind in reading. It sure isn’t easy to keep up any more. But it is great to have so many flutherfolk interested in supporting one another’s efforts and letting us know how they’re doing.

I took my second philosophy exam on Wednesday, and tonight I finished what I hope is my final draft of my term paper. I went way overboard for the requirements, really for myself and not for the class or the grade. It felt pretty good after all this time, kind of like picking up a sport you haven’t played in decades and discovering you haven’t lost the moves.

Speaking of moves, I am still hobbling around with the darned cast on my foot, going on six weeks now. The doctor just looked mystified and said it ought to be better by now, and that was ten days ago. As impairments go, this is nothing, but I am still tired of it.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll try to catch up with everybody here. Keep on target!

@Jeruba Is this a bone or soft-tissue injury? My wife had to have an electronic device (TENS unit?) on her right foot to promote healing of a stubborn break.

Our nighttime low temperatures are still too high to trigger really good sap flows, but we’re producing good quality Grade A Medium Amber nonetheless. We’re on our second 55 gallon drum. Eight drums should make expenses, depending on the price the co-op can get. Hopefully we can get over $40 a gallon this year, prices have been low the last few years.

My practical teaching has branched out a bit. I was repairing a cracked frame member on our old John Deere B and picked up some spectators. I’m now teaching two of the girls the basics of arc welding. Little Jacqueline seems to be a “natural” at this, she quickly grasped the principles involved and has made some very good welds already. I’ve cut out the parts for a new pump mount, I’m going to let Jackie tackle the fillet welds with a bit more practice. This young lady is amazing; she has little social confidence, yet she has a natural affinity for anything mechanical. Her older cousin, Marie is learning also, but I think it’s more that she doesn’t want to be outdone by Jackie in anything.

I have so many alternative energy projects lined up (anaerobic methane digestor, small processing unit for biodiesel, solar methanol still, etc) that I’m considering setting up some kind of “hands on” program with a vo-tech school or the local community college. It would be great if we can get girls interested in alternative energy projects; good paying jobs and another crack in the “glass ceiling”. I never thought of myself as a teacher, but I seem to be slipping into that role.

All of these young ladies are Canadian and have never touched a handgun before. I’m going to give all that are interested a treat this afternoon; just a basic safety orientation and let them bang away at a few targets. Most of them are familiar with rifles and shotguns already, being from rural Quebec.

I’m down to 5mg a day on the Valium. My goal is to be off of it entirely this week. The paroxetene (Paxil) will take much longer, or may have to be permanent. I don’t like the idea of my mental health being dependant on the pharmaceutical industry, but I may have to do this in order to be a useful person.

I had a great week at work due to more time on the reference desk and some really interesting interactions. On Friday, I was helping an elderly Chinese man understand some of the idiomatic writing in the New York Times. In addition, I was working more closely with my boss on the new project which is evaluating and ordering new titles for our play collection.

The capper was Friday when I got to go into the city and hold my three day old great niece for an hour. This is a fun time of life for me with the next generation of new babies coming in. After that, we saw A View from the Bridge with Scarlett Johanssen and Liev Schreiber.

Wanted to update the weight loss – since starting a food diary in December, going vegetarian in January and vegan in February, I have lost 17 lbs and am 10 lbs from being pre-baby #1 weight – a weight that I think is healthiest for my height.

It’s not really personal progress, but I found a group of musicians here that are like minded and extremely talented. I had a blast hanging out with a mass of them at a “private” show and party last night. It’s fun to meet new people who at least already share a love of great music.

I’ve been keeping up, and I’m very happy for everyone, you’re all doing really well!

I don’t have a whole lot to report, I’ve slipped into a very comfy routine. The one thing I will mention is that I did defeat the snooze button! Not a huge accomplshment, but I’m quite proud of myself nonetheless. I now get 30 minutes more sleep every night thanks to a small willpower exercise :)

I accepted the notion of setting goals. I set an attainable one but allowed myself to use the fact of my chronic pain to continue to avoid getting started on my plan to learn something new on the banjo every week.

Despite the validity of my excuse, I am disappointed with myself that I did not break out of my daily habits to start doing something to try out my plan!

@Simone_De_Beauvoir 17lbs since December! That is very impressive. What meat were you eating before you went vegetarian (and then vegan)? @Dr_Lawrence I’m sorry if you already explained this, but what is causing you the pain?@gggritso are you going to bed earlier?

I attended a really good conference in Minneapolis this weekend, and picked up some strategies that will help me with my students (those pesky past tenses – sigh). My goal for this week is to get my classroom cleaned up enough that I’m ready for a sub next week.

I planted about 60 little seed cups. I’m getting excited about spring and growing things. So my seeds are under a grow light, on a heated pad, and have a small heater aimed at them! I want to make removable square gardens in my garden plot. I have thought of lawn or flower bed edging which would then make it circular gardening! Any ideas?

@JeanPaulSartre I don’t know!! Finding like -minded musicians can be a tough call… I haven’t found any yet…although I’m not looking but I have done in the past and there’s so much variation in music out there these days it’s needle in a haystack type stuff

Update on surgery: not sure if I want to go through with the surgery. I haven’t met my deductible yet and my insurance only covers 90% of the surgery. I could just get it drained. If I just get it drained, there’s a 50% chance it will come back. If I get surgery, there’s only a 1–2% chance it will come back.
Also, I have TMJ and I have a dental appliance. My dentist said since I’m just having popping and locking, but no pain, I should just live with it. But now, I’m getting pain.

@Violet sorry to hear that :-( health problems are a real pain and I can’t imagine the further headache of having cost/ insurance issues involved too and what it does to one’s stress levels… (which can’t be helping the TMJ) I’m sure you’ll get through it though xxx big hugs and much love xxx

Had another good day at work. I came to a realization that may be helpful. Because I am part time and work in an isolated area, I am somewhat marginalized. When I initiate discussions with colleagues, my input is valued and I am more stimulated. I have to continue to find ways to have meaningful contact with my colleagues so that this occurs. It’s a little hard because my position is unque and I am not a part of the normal academic structure.

@Violet I was a passenger in a stopped vehicle that was hit at 75 mph and then again by the same car from a different angle a minute later at 45mph after the driver had backed up three to four car lengths. No the other driver has no drunk or stoned. They were just stupid!

I was in the right rear of the car. We were first hit directly in the back.
I had no head or neck support.
I had unbuckled my seatbelt after the first crash as I feared that the gas tank would have been ruptured.
We were hit in the right rear in the second crash!

@Dr_Lawrence Were people surprised you survived? That sounds like an accident where people would have ended up paralyzed or dead. Well I’m happy you’re alive, but I am very sorry you are in so much pain.

@Dr_Lawrence My wifes car was T-boned by a logging truck 4 months ago. She was killed instantly. Many times since then I wish it could have been me in that car. Meghan had so much more to offer the world than I do. I feel your pain my friend.

I wish I had time to go way back and catch up but there is not enough time today so I have to wing it here…@Jeruba Hope the ankle heals now. Mine took 3 months when I sprained it but now it is finally totally rights and no longer swollen. More importantly KUDOS on the school work!

@janbb Great job taking the incentive to reach out and it is awesome that you are recieved well!

@faye I envy you! For two years I have planned a home garden- even tilled the soil and built frames but in the end it sat as a weed patch because we could not get the soil and fencing needed. (We have lovely little wild rabbits in our neighborhood so a little garden fence is necessary)

@JeanPaulSartre Sounds like a blast with the other musicians in an unplanned jam. Do you think it will stick?

I am going to finish my painting before Sunday…I will I will I WILL!!
I am going to bake my mum a mother’s day cake
I am going to bake me a mother’s day cake
I am not going to give myself a hard time for not losing any weight again this week (if indeed that is the case – find out Thursday pm)
I am going to put my party invite list together
I am going to choose some colours to decorate my house
Oooh got a lot to do before Sunday…better get on!!!I have so many other things I want and others that need doing too… think I might need to write downa long term list too :-/

I was the only one who had read an article that had been distributed to the librarians on Kindle use in universities; ended up informally giving a synopsis, including my reactions, of it to some of the others. A small thing, but in the context of how I’m trying to enrich my job, it felt good.

I just received my first big-boy paycheque. I’ve been waiting for it for ages, and it finally arrived today. After spending an entire summer doing pro-bono work just for some relevant experience, it feels amazing to see this envelope. It’s kind of an awesome feeling. I’m quite happy at this moment.

Hi guys, here goes my first update in almost 2 months. Sorry to butt in after blowing you off for so long but I need to mentally check myself and blow off some steam.

It’s finals week and I am feeling the crunch. I went into this quarter thinking I would finally pull my GPA up to a 3.0 but that is starting to look unlikely. I am shooting for an A in physics, an A in calculus (if I get 100 on the final!), a B- in linear algebra and a C in chemistry, which is fairly ironic since I’m a chemistry major. I have fallen into the habit of staying up all night studying on Thursday nights since Fridays have been the days where I have quizzes or tests in at least 3 classes, and I think it has had an adverse effect on my health. But now that I know that I can stay up all night, I’m likely to persist in doing it.

My fiance and I got into a pretty heated argument last night. I hate arguments but they have been happening often. I won’t bore you with details but it mainly had to do with the fact that I don’t want him to go into the Air Force, and he doesn’t think I should go to Tanzania this summer. That’s another thing—I signed up for a student volunteer convoy to Tanzania and was accepted into the program. The fees total up to over 3k and I will have to fundraise the money somehow. I really want to do this but he thinks that my money would be better spent on something else. I think it comes down to a fundamental ideological difference: he doesn’t believe in giving to strangers without receiving in return – his time is valuable and he expects to be paid for it—and I believe an experience like this can hold a lot of value, whether money is made on it or not. Now we’re not really talking to each other and I feel like shit. :(

So, finals, making up with the guy, raising 3 thousand dollars by June 1 – that’s what’s on my mind. Whew! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Ok, I’ll stop bitching now.

@holden Congratulations on being accepted into the Tanzania program – that’s great news and you should totally go for it – it’s not like he has to go so what does it matter if it’s something you want to do?!

@holden Congratulations on being accepted into the Tanzania program. I served as a peacekeeper on the Kenya/Somalia border and the people in that part of the world are wonderful.ake sure you bring plenty of SPF 50, Immodium, water purification tablets and dust masks.

Update from the beginning of the week – The classroom is still in a state of relative cleanliness (at least enough that someone can sit at the desk). This afternoon I’m taking 13 students to an overnight language conference up north. I have my car game for their 4 hour drive, and my CDs for mine. I think it will be fine, but cross your fingers for us.

@holden Congrats on the opportunity, but I know how hard it is when your path diverges from that of your partner. Good luck. I know you’ll make the right choice.@gggritso HOORAY FOR PAYCHECKS! (sorry, but that’s something to shout about in my opinion.)@janbb I’m so glad that you were able to help your colleagues and make a bigger connection with them.@faye Good luck with the gardening.

To everyone else – Way to go. You’re doing great. I just don’t have time to go all the way back. See you next week.

@lynneblundell I really like your painting. It just made me smile to look at it. For my accounting, I have pumpkin and cucumber plants 4” high! I think it must be mutant seed. I can’t plant them out until mid May for sure. Who know they would grow so fast? I’m going to have them trailing over that little room like a Stephen King story!! Many other seeds are sprouting but in a much more respectful manner!

Freezing rain forecast, but the sap is flowing well. The big evaporator is on line now and we’ve filled our second drum of Grade A syrup. Jackie did a beautiful welding job on the pump frame support.

Town Meeting is Tuesday. I hope that I don’t get “drafted” into some town office. My family has held offices in town, county and state level for over 230 years, so it will be very hard to say no. If the Emergency Director will agree to one more two-year term, I’ll agree to be his replacement, but I’ve too much on my plate right now. I’ve decided to provide matching funds for whatever sum the Town will appropriate to the Library book fund, maybe this will be an incentive to fund this at a decent level. Last year I contributed two desktop computers for the library. The idea of a free “internet cafe” has increased traffic in the library, since many locals can’t afford internet connections (this is not the “rich” part of New Hampshire).

I put in lots of work this last week on a new song… and it seems to just be awful. I spent another hour or so last night kinda trying to fix it, but I need to face it that I need to start over on the recording and try to make it listenable. I should also never record vocals when I’m getting sick… worst ever. So hopefully some work on the redo there this week, and a probable trip to the doctor with the little one who’s a little sick too. Also in the heavy rain yesterday the support for our fence, washed away partially, and then the high winds blew over… so I’m guessing fence repair will be in my future as well.

My feet are slowly improving. I’m still walking with a cane, but at a somewhat faster pace. My new goal is to be more compliant with the exercises the physical therapist wants me to do. They really help, but I keep forgetting.

I’m quite disappointed at the results of two recent exams (in the low “B” range: not good enough) so I am redoubling my efforts to study. It seems to be paying off – I think I might have gotten a perfect score on my Sociolinguistics exam. Two more midterms coming up – one tomorrow and one on Tuesday. Oy, vey.

I’m on Spring Break now and excused from working on any goals except not to get too fat from eating out! “And it doesn’t really matter if I don’t get any fatter, and I don’t get any fatter, what I do.”

I finished a painting today that is really a departure from anything I have done before. I am hoping it will interest a mainstream manufacturer and am confident enough to be starting a companion piece tomorrow. (Licensing usually requires sets of four)

I went to the doctor today about my throat problem/ anxiety and urological disorder, which I’ve been putting off for weeks…and it went well…I have no answers as yet as usual! but at least I was brave enough to go! :-)

Started rereading the first novel for the course that I am teaching starting March 26th. Been suffering from Fluthermind and having trouble focusing on reading, but at least I made a start. Next week I’ll post about my performance anxiety; it should be in full flower!

I have actually written 5 pages of the 10-page paper that is due next Wednesday, but I can tell that I’m going to need 20 pages to finish it. Ah, well, it’s a lot better than nothing, which is what I had at 2:00 this afternoon.

Well I’m back to working out and just trying to get fit. My goal is to tone up for the summer and try to stay fit. Once I got that well on the way, my second part to this goal is to quit smoking.
For now its just getting back in shape and to finish decorating my second room and to finally get around to hemming some trousers.
Bet I can get in shape faster than those trousers get hemmed. LOL

I hope that I have my personnel problems sorted out. The whole damned situation is likely my fault, not understanding the behavior and thought processes of teenaged girls. I thought that I was being deliberately attacked with baseless rumors. It never occurred to me that, as a man in a position of authority, that I should never allow myself to be alone with a young female employee. It sets off vicious gossip even if the situation is entirely innocent. I was just trying to be helpful and friendly, but was unwittingly tap dancing in a minefield. Apparently young girls love to gossip, have very active imaginations and like putting the worst possible spin on any topic. It seems that I can’t work with one helper; I must either do the work without help or have two helpers (one to help and the other to be a witness that nothing improper is going on). Utter silliness, but the alternative being my reputation destroyed by gossip and rumor.

@faye go for it!!!!@Pandora you can do it!! exercising makes you feel brilliant and so addictive… and if I can get round to picking the colours for my rooms it will be a miracle… I’m not good at this decorating thing… I’m about to attempt the whole house more or less..:-/@stranger_in_a_strange_land it’s a sad state of affairs indeed x

I got my assignment result today – 85% :) First essay of the course and on my way to another distinction… that’s the plan anyway! :-/

@stranger_in_a_strange_land It’s difficult when your interest in a young person is strictly as a mentor, and others read into it so much more.@Dog and @lynneblundell way to go on the art. I’m so impressed by people who can create visually.@Pandora It’s always so much easier (for me at least) to exercise when the wether gets better. I feel like I have a second chance.@mangeons Congratulations on bringing your grade up.@janbb Enjoy your break. I’m so jealous. 2 weeks until ours.

This week is about learning to find balance at work. Due to budget cuts and general distrust between the faculty and the administration, school is not a friendly or calming place to be. My goal is to teach as best as I possibly can, without worrying about my job security or letting the undercurrents affect how I relate to my students.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Great news; things seem to be going well for you on the diagnostics front.@lynneblundell Dramatic picture – I like it! You are firing on all cyllinders lately!@zephyr826 I have friends who are teachers and similarly bummed out right now. Hang in there.@Dog Woof! Woof!

YAY on the negative biopsy. My dear friend is going in for a lung biopsy tomorrow. I am very worried. I am praying it is not cancer.

Mangeons you are doing great! :)

Dr.L Play away! I wish I could hear it. I love the sound of banjo.

This morning at 8:30 am I went to my studio determined to paint a potential puzzle on a “Tropical” theme. At 11:00pm I finished it. In one long day. It turned out as I had hoped it would and tomorrow I will go to the studio with garden flowers and sweet peas in mind.

Puzzle paintings are- in my opinion- way too busy. I would never hang the paintings on my wall as the patterns would annoy me. But I guess puzzle loving people like the little detail work.

thanks everyone@stranger_in_a_strange_land Not really, it’s small now but it’s not going away – this period I thought it was going to flare up again, but it didn’t…and I wouldn’t care if I didn’t plan on breastfeeding again sometime in the future which I do…and no milk can come out because of the hard cyst and that’ll be a problem.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I’m sorry to hear that. Meg had a fluid filled cyst, staph infection from an injury, that had to be drained surgically. Eventually the docs found a combination of antibiotics that got rid of it. One of the medications had to be directly injected into the infection site twice a day, (ouch!).
Maybe that’s why nature gave ladies two breasts, an installed spare. At least from the standpoint of your own health, things are looking brighter. ((hugs))

@stranger_in_a_strange_land I really don’t want to have it be drained – the doctor didn’t say it was a cyst but who knows…now I have this $462 bill from the hospital for this sonogram of which they think I’m going to pay $444 (effectively, this means my private and supposedly good insurance covered less than $20) and they’re quite mistaken if they think I will actually pay any of it.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Jeez! I thought it was scary to be uninsured. It looks like it’s nearly as scary to be insured, but improperly. This country needs single payer health care, but it doesn’t look like we will ever get it.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I’m so sorry. I thought it had been diagnosed as a cyst. Sorry about the feeble attempt at humor on my last posting. This crazy healthcare system is incomprehensible to the ordinary person. You never know how much you have to pay until you’re obligated to pay it, only a uniform single payer system will fix it. I’ll never see it in my lifetime, special-interests have a stranglehold on Congress and also have the money to manipulate public opinion via mass media scare campaigns.

great, @Violet ! Prices are really low now. Are you going to hire an inspector once you have your choices narrowed down? Remember that the real estate agent represents the seller; they’ve been known to conceal faults that aren’t obvious to the average person. This is an exciting time, but remember to stay in a price range that you can comfortably afford. Good luck!

@dpworkin and @stranger_in_a_strange_land we just went looking today. My boyfriend decided to wait about a year or a year and a half when he’ll be making more (and when I can help contribute). But yes, we will hire an inspector. Thank you for your advice : )

This is going to be a weird week for me. I’m trying to do my final prep work for the lit. class I am teaching on Friday. I’m in quite good shape but need to finish rereading the novel I’m teaching and go over and revise my lecture notes. I get performance anxiety before the first session anyway. However, my Mom, who lives on the other side of the country near my brother and is over 90, has stopped eating and has just been put in hospice care. We have had a difficult relationship and I am living on two levels right now – one of them just fine, and one quite anxious. She has Alzheimer’s and is fairly unresponsive right now, I had a good visit with her in December so I don’t plan to rush out there unless it seems needed. Just venting here.

I’m sure everyone knows I have been struggling with procrastination demons, and that I underperformed on a couple of key exams, so I am very happy to be able to say that my CBT techniques seem to be working: I finished a very long, very technical paper this weekend (not due until Wednesday, but now out of the way!) and I have been doing my required reading before it is actually required (what a concept!) so on that front I am pleased with myself.

In another regard I am less pleased – I still have trouble controlling my anger here on Fluther, but I am giving it a go, and have not given up. Those of you to whom I must apologize, you know who you are; I hope you also know that my apology is sincere and that I am really trying to stop. I may or may not be able to stop my newbie bashing or my Nazi bashing, but I swear I am undertaking to stop bashing my friends.

I got another song almost done… still not 100% happy with the vocals, but I surprised myself with an awesome piano run in the middle last night that I didn’t know I had in me. Hope to get that at least all recorded this week, if not mastered.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir So elegant!! beautiful!!@dpworkin I hadn’t noticed any aggression from you – I think I got offended at something you said a long long time ago but never since – I have rather a lot of respect for you, if that helps at all! :-)@janbb hope you get your work sorted for your class, I’m sure you will! Sorry about your mum too x

Am feeling low today so might need to just rest up a bit, however, my goals for this week are

1. To get through the allotted course work schedule and half way into next week’s also so I can get a little ahead in preparation for Easter Holidays…
2. Weather allowing: To clean out the greenhouse in preparation to put it on freecycle..I have decided after much deliberation that I have simply not got the time to grow (lol) this year and the space would be better used for a trampoline or football nets for Theo…hopefully we’ll have a good summer this year
3. To start and finish a small painting
4. To figure out what ‘me time’ means for me this week and get me some!!

@janbb I’m sorry about your mom. My grandmother also has Alzheimer’s and I have watched her gradual decline over the last 3 years into a person I cannot recognize as my grandmother. It’s been hard to accept but it’s now come to the point that I almost don’t remember what she used to be like pre-Alzheimers. It’s something I would never wish on anybody.

I am on my spring break and all but one of my grades for last quarter have been posted. I’m happy that I passed my classes but I was really expecting better grades. This was supposed to be my quarter to bring my GPA above a 2.9 but now it looks like it’s going to slide back under 2.5.
Here’s the breakdown:
Linear Analysis I: C
Calculus IV: B-
Modern Physics I: C
General Chemistry II: ?? (expecting a C)

I’m not surprised by any of these grades but I had much higher expectations for Modern Physics, since I was going strong in the class until the final (it was killer hard!) I really struggled conceptually with quantum mechanics and the Schroedinger equation and that’s where I think I lost the most points, and once we got into the Schroedinger equation in 3 dimensions I was totally lost.

I’m happy I’m finished with these classes but based on my grades for this quarter I’m beginning to wonder if my ambitions of double majoring in physics and chemistry are beyond my abilities.

I’m sorry you were disappointed about your grades; one of the best things about being done with school is that you don’t have those constant external markers. Only you can decide whether to proceed with the double major or not, but I wouldn’t let low grades in one semester necessarily discourage you.

@janbb thank you. It’s not the grades so much that discourage me as the thought that I won’t be able to keep up with the coursework and maintain a respectable GPA. However, next quarter I am taking the sequel to all of those classes except calculus (there are no more calculus classes to take! woohoo!) and perhaps that will be my chance to improve. Employers and graduate school admissions officers are more inclined to let early poor grades slide if they see evidence of an upward trend, right? I hope

@lynneblundell In NYC there are a lot of organizations where you can get them for free – find some clinic in your area or your doctor can do one. I usually do the rapid test – you swab inside of your cheek and get your answer within 20 mins—

Just finished the reread of the book I’m teaching on Friday; didn’t think I’d be able to concentrate enough to get it done so fast. I’ll revise my lecture notes tonight and be in good shape for the class, except for a final review on Thursday night. Nothing new is happening with my mother; I’m feeling less anxious on that front right now, but having occasional flashbacks of the past.

Whew! Tuesday night at 11:15, and I have just finished my final exam for my philosophy class, due tomorrow afternoon. It’s a take-home final, and I groaned when the instructor announced it because I knew I’d spend much longer on it than if I just studied for a day and wrote for an hour. Sure enough, I averaged 3 hours for each of 5 questions after prep time. But anyway, now it’s done.

And I have my class for next quarter lined up: I’m taking Intro. to Film. The instructor is a member of the adjunct faculty, a well-known movie critic whose reviews I was reading 20 to 30 years ago in the local paper. I’m excited about this!—my first class in the film medium.

First I get a breather for ten days. We are going away to the mountains again. That’s when I hope to catch up with all the wonderful reports on this page.

I also have three freelance editing clients, and that’s all I want to handle right now.

I remember being in Cali in Feburary for my nephew’s wedding and all the Spring trees being in flower. It was thrilling, coming from a northeast winter. I read an article once by Micahel Pollan about moving from Connecticut to Berkeley and having to unlearn everything he knew about gardening.

Hi Everyone! This week the goal is to focus on what I do best so far- images for jigsaw puzzles and greeting cards. I got off-track and painted a coaster set with seashells that I will finish today but really it has been too boring and I wasted 4 days on them.

My goal is to get through this week. It’s show week for us, and the kids are a wreck. There’s a sinus infection racing through the building, and we of course have no real understudies. I love High School theater!

My real goal is to be in bed before 11:30. I’m not young enough to function on 6 hours of sleep. sigh.

Good luck to all, and congrats on your good news everyone. @janbb sorry that things are so up in the air right now.

@zephyr826 I don’t think I’ve ever been able to function on 6 hours of sleep, and unfortunately I just now realized it. I always thought “Just condition your body to sleep less, that’s all! Margaret Thatcher only slept for four hours a night!” I actually set a strict goal to get 8.5 solid hours a sleep per night. It’s been two weeks so far, and I’ve been much more productive. Good luck!

The goal for this week has been to impose a computer curfew on both Alex and myself so that we can spend more time having sex/snuggling, etc. It has worked out so far, 11 pm we turn off fluther and spend more time together and that way we even get more sleep.

We’re at peak capacity now, running both evaporators 12–14 hours a day. My partner is now confident enough to run the big evaporator, three or four of the girls are running the small one. I run around repairing things and trying to keep an eye on the whole operation.

New goal: get my neighbor set up with her own evaporator; the system we’re using now is clumsy, having to haul 1000 gallons of sap on a trailer. This will delay building a “proper” sugar house for our own small evaporator (the new larger evaporator is in a stone structure, I was planning to get rid of that tin shed over the small one as well). Having her own evaporator, however small, will make everything run more smoothly. Most of the task for me will be designing and constructing the reverse-osmosis unit to feed the evaporator.

Apparantly, the “gossip trouble” has stopped. The best I can deduce is that the whole thing was directed at the girl working with me. The ones doing the rumormongering probably didn’t realize that I would interpret it as an attack on my reputation. I now work without a helper and keep my distance from all of these girls.

I get my “spring break” in May, after the cleanup from the maple operation and the veggie planting. The “break” will be spent going over my thesis draft.

Eek, I have a government CRES next this coming up Tuesday, counts for 10% of my final government grade. On the bright side, the last big government test I took, that counted for 20% of my government grade for this term, I got a 98% on ! ( :

Well, I taught the first class of a two session adult lit class on Friday. I am always very nervous beforehand. The class went well, but I was very disappointed that out of the 6 students who registered, only 2 showed up! This has never happened before, and I wasn’t sure if the class would work since I encourage a lot of discussion. However, the two who came were my regulars and we had a great time. I wonder if the book I chose was too inacessible for the rest.

I think I am slowly getting ready to do something I haven’t dared to do before because it will very nearly guarantee a vicious legal battle, and an end to any pretense of amity in my relationship with my former wife, but she gives me no parental rights at all, and I think I must finally have a court instruct her that I am a parent, too. I need regular visitation, and I need to be consulted on health and education issues. I have no money for an attorney, I will have to do this pro se, it’s very scary (her lawyer is Gloria Alred, a famous Manhattan divorce lawyer who is often in the news) but I think a court will agree that I am a parent, too. There is nothing in my behavior or history that I am ashamed of, and I don’t believe there is any legal reason to deny me my rights.

@dpworkinDamn… Gloria Alred?
But really- she could hire God and a judge would still have to follow the law that states that you have parental rights.

On a side note I think it is interesting that you are saying she is amicable now- as she is denying your rights and not allowing you contact with your children. Is she doing so with a smile on her face and talking nice? Because her actions are not reading as amicable even if her physical presence is. I applaud you for deciding to take the battle up to be with your kids. They need you in their lives.

@dpworkinI see about the wife. I was divorced (marriage fail from teen romance) and would never, despite how I felt or my schedule, deny my ex regular visitation of his daughter because it is important for kids to spend time with dad. So I am sorry your ex does not feel the same. I will PM you a link to my old web site but is so neglected that I am really embarrassed. I do have a youtube video of my homeless pet animal art here

Newbie to this thread… My milestones are: today, turning off the tv when I normally would have watched it for hours. Tv has become my biggest time-suck and I’m determined to invest in other areas of my life.

Also, yesterday was another milestone as I followed through on a goal to set up an area to grill. My partner has been encouraging me to explore my interest in cooking (knowing that the payoff for her is more home-cooked meals!). Grilling is something I enjoy, but haven’t done in years. I’m looking forward to many grilling adventures in the times ahead of me!

Nothing to report other than I think we’re past break-even point with the maple production. The next four or five weeks will determine whether the farm itself breaks even for the year. I hope that eventually the castor bean production for biodiesel will bring in some cash also (right now, the crop covers the refining costs and powers our working vehicles).

@prolificus Good luck on breaking the addiction to that idiotbox. It not only wastes your time but plants bad ideas and images into your mind.

@liminal I wish that I had enough time to spend fluthering right now. I’m beginning to wonder whether I reduced my meds too soon; as long as I’m very busy things are acceptable. The instant I stop, the “black dog” of depression creeps back in. If things have gotten to the point where you are thinking about the meds, you probably need to be on them. We are probably the worst judge of our own mental health, especially with debilitating conditions.

@dpworkin Good luck with your legal battle. Lawyers are horrible, even my own, pushing me to settle so they can get their “payday”, without reference to my intentions. Regardless of settlement or jury award, I refuse to touch a dime of it.

@janbb Remember that ane effective class can be a teacher and a student sitting on a log, as long as long as learning takes place.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir@JeanPaulSartre You two are such a delight. A true Renaissance couple. ((hugs)) The Tango vids are lovely (what little I saw, my computer gets balky with video feeds).

@dpworkin Good for you – you don’t know how good it is to hear that a man is fighting for his child/ren sorry I don’t know how many you have!Theo’s father is devoid of all responsibility and desire to be involved in Theo’s life and it’s encouraging to hear that you want involvement. Whilst it makes life easier for me it’s certainly not the best all round for Theo (perhaps…) Anyway, I digress All the best!!! xx

@liminal don’t leave us…no don’t do it…staaaaay!!! Only joking… good luck with cutting down on screen time… I managed to do some of that later last week but…

still didn’t manage to achevie all my goals.

I did however manage to send out my party invites on Fluther which I’ve been meaning to do for a while now. I hope I didn’t forget anyone!!! :-/

1. I did get through my allotted coursework and a little bit ionto this week schedule as well…so on track with that.
2. I did not start on the garden, every time I looked at it I felt despondent.. I don’t know what’s stopping me from doing it at the moment…
3. I did not do any painting…. what is wrong with me? Why can’t I just get stuck in? I have all these ideas and desires, images in my head…but little impetus to get the paintbrushes out and DO IT… grrr at self…..
4. Don’t think I managed the ‘me time’ thing really either… I seemed to get distracted with parenting and studying and other stuff… must try harder.

Goals for this week

1. Do the painting that’s in my head and post on Blog by Friday
2. Lose two pounds (edit: just wanted to add that I’m now 11 stone exactly and have 11 pounds to lose to get to my target…. this might help me focus a bit more if you know the stats!!)
3. Do some more work on anger management…by journalling every day
4. Keep up the good work with the studying :-)
5. Look into bankruptcy :-(

@janbb :)
Anyway, I gained a couple of pounds – apparently my new and obviously bad snack choice of potato chips every day and a slightly higher number of calories per day is NOT conducive to weight loss, sigh…duh…anyway, I am just going to not dwell, look forward and begin again today…no more chips in my vicinity and I will pay more attention to the calorie count yet again…I can do it, I keep telling myself this…yes, I will do it.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir If anyone could invent great tasting potato chips with zero to no calories, they would have my nomination for a Nobel prize! You’ve done so well so far with your weight loss, just gotta keep on going. Easier said than done, I know.